The present invention relates to a clevis assembly for a towed implement and more particularly relates to a clevis adapted for being hitched to a tractor drawbar.
Tractor drawn implements, such as pull-type rotary cutters, require a hitch-to-drawbar connection that allows for rotation in three directions, namely, turning, twisting and pitching. Most drawn implement hitches only allow for turning about the vertical axis of the drawbar pin, with slop in the hitch-to-drawbar connection allowing for movement in the other two directions. Some implements, including rotary cutters, provide two-way rotation (turning and pitching) using a pivoting clevis and others provide three-way rotation by using two pivoting clevises, but because of the relatively high weight of the implement carried by the drawbar, the drawbar and clevis tend to wear and fail prematurely. Furthermore, even though it is possible to size the hitch pin and clevis so that a tight, swivel connection may be made between the clevis and the drawbar, such sizing would make hook-up of the hitch more difficult and could possibly result in the inability of a different tractor to be connected to the implement or in the sizing being wrong for gaining any benefit.
On some cutters, a leveling rod is mounted between the clevis and the front of the mower deck to keep the clevis level as the cutter is raised and lowered so as to minimize stresses imposed on the connection, but this system does not allow for rotation during pitching, and in some cases twisting movements of the cutter relative to the tractor.
Also, with the hitches used on current implements, it is difficult to align the hitch and drawbar holes for receiving the hitch pin during hook-up of the implement to the tractor, especially when there's only one person.